African-Americans are traveling in increasing numbers,
and one of their most popular ways of traveling is in extended-family
groups. "The African-American
market is definitely growing in the group travel market," said Charlie
Presley, founder of the African-American Travel Conference (AATC), which
annually brings together representatives of the group travel industry and
planners of African-American travel.
"Group travel is the No. 1 preference in the
African-African market. “The
African-American community participates twice as much in group travel as the
U.S. population as a whole." Presley said AATC, which meet on April 18-20
in Baltimore, tracks some 3,500 African-American travel groups, which purchase
$437 million of group travel each year, with the average group spending
$125,000 annually on travel.
Even with this, Presley thinks the travel industry is
missing a key point with African-Americans. "African-American groups are
the perfect affinity market," he said.
"They are community driven and posses a strong network of
communications inside their social groups.
"African-American groups are truly
multigenerational. It is common for a
group to contain an age range from 8-80 on the same trip. They travel as a community family, and age
restrictions are a nonfactor.
"African-American groups are social organizations
within the community. They are unique in group travel and are the portal to
vast amounts of group bookings."
Presley said a key to reaching African-American groups is
the group leader. "The group leader
is the heart and soul of the African-American travel community," he
said. "The group leader is the
trusted and known commodity to the traveler.
Virtually all group travel in the African-American market is group
leader driven." They might not have an affiliation with what the travel industry
recognizes as a group. The
African-American group may draw from a half-dozen social organizations, and as
many as 25 percent of the people on the trip may be a result of knowing another
traveler."
Presley said that although the majority of
African-American groups are Pied Piper led, church groups and social
organizations also represent segments of the market. "These three - Pied Pipers, church and
social organizations-make up around 75 percent of the market,” he said.
Another surprising aspect of the African-American market
is that it is value driven. "The
African-American group is much more upscale driven than the travel industry
realizes," said Presley. “While
willing to pay for service and product, a return of value is expected."
African-American groups are loyal. "Once successful in the African-American
market, word of mouth spreads rapidly," said Presley. "The free advertising is a result of the
members of the group who travel with a number of other groups and passing on
good travel results to that group leader.
“Above all, African-American group leaders’ value knowing
who they are doing business with. Once a relationship is built, it will last
for decades."
Presley said that where an African-American group travels
is not as important to them as is the trip's activities. "Theater, culinary and culture are the
big three, "he said.
Top destinations with AATC members are New York City,
Toronto, Florida and Las Vegas.
"Cruise participation is much higher in the African-American
community," said Presley.
"Sixty-five percent of AATC groups report actively cruising.”
Presley said the African-American community also is
plugged in with 80 percent of AATC groups reporting that they use the Internet
for travel research.
“The African-American Community Participates
Twice As Much In Group Travel As The U.S. Population As A Whole."
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